Saplings planted last year set on fire

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 3

Some unidentified persons set vacant land at the Verka-Vallah bypass on fire. Volunteers had planted saplings of trees at this site during a ‘Rukh Nahi, Manukh Nahi’ drive last year.

Environment activists from Guru Nanak Dev University had planted 50 amaltas, five banyan trees and neems on the coroner of the BRTS stand in August last year.

Mahinder Singh Brar, a volunteer, who was part of the drive, said all trees were grown up to 10 feet.

“It was a humid day on August 11 when we planted saplings of these trees. We had contributed Rs7,000 from our pockets for the purpose. All our volunteers are from GNDU. We used to watering these plants once a week. It is a major setback to our campaign. All the team members are hurt with this incident,” he added.

Besides amaltas, the volunteers also planted 88 pilkhan trees (Ficus Virens) on the other side of the same flyover. All these 80 pilkhans are safe.

The drive was initiated in memory of Guru Nanak Dev University student Gagandeep Singh, who had died due to cancer 10 year ago. His friend Mahainder Singh Brar started planting trees with Gagandeep.

After his death, Brar and other volunteers plannted around 7,000 plants on the Guru Nanak Dev University campus.